Harshness
Harshness noun - The quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism).
Usage example: was surprised at the harshness of the choirmaster's criticism, since he was usually pretty easygoing
Kindness
Kindness noun - The capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune.
Usage example: out of the kindness of your heart, would you at least consider adopting this stray cat?
Both words in one sentence
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Neighbors who had a clear view through a window all said they could remember him quite frequently "standing in front of the clavier [piano] weeping." People who knew the family testified to his dad's harshness and unfairness, but also to his loving kindness and attempts to be a good father.
Source: Education Mama
Cite this Source
Kindness and Harshness. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/harshness/kindness
Harshness & Kindness. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/harshness/kindness>.
Kindness or Harshness. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/harshness/kindness.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "harshness" and "kindness" have occurred on timeline